Andrew Cavenagh, speaking earlier this year, suggested that Glasgow Rangers were keen to adopt a pro-Premiership or pro-Scottish bias in terms of deciding between transfer targets.
It’s fair to say that the success of the past few weeks under Derek McInnes hasn’t been down to those who fit that criteria, however, with Lawrence Shankland sidelined with injury and Ross McCrorie firmly on the periphery.
It’s been a similar story for Cammy Devlin too, the ex-Hearts midfielder also now finding himself back on the bench despite previously thriving under McInnes’ watch at Tynecastle.
Snapped up on a free transfer, the experienced Aussie isn’t likely to be an expensive mistake, but is he truly good enough for the Ibrox side?
Assessing Devlin’s start to life at Rangers
It’s perhaps no surprise that performances have improved following McInnes’ ability to settle on a more consistent starting lineup, the tinkering of August having thankfully come to an end.
It’s perhaps no surprise too that the Gers are also seeing the benefit of a settled midfield pairing, the re-integration of World Cup star, Nicolas Raskin, coinciding with this recent uplift in form.
Alongside stand-in skipper, Dan Neil, the pair twice dominated Celtic in the space of a week, looking a real upgrade on what Rangers have had in that department in years gone by.
The key casualty of that new-look midfield has been Devlin, therefore, the 28-year-old – who previously saw red against Jablonec – having not started since the narrow 2-1 win away at Falkirk.
That outing summed up his time at Rangers so far, in truth, the new man looking particularly errant in possession, before his withdrawal on the hour mark.
He’s been restricted to mere late cameos in the subsequent Premiership meetings with St Mirren and Celtic, while failing to make it off the bench in the Old Firm win in the League Cup.
Those derby fixtures felt like when Devlin would perhaps be required this season, such is his combative, all-action style, and yet the Gers have performed superbly without him, ensuring it remains to be seen what role he’ll have to play moving forward.
Indeed, he’s not the only one who might have to get used to life among the substitutes over the coming weeks and months.
Why Rangers signing is already looking like a mistake
As already noted, one benefit of signing Devlin is the lack of a transfer fee, and with the Aussie having only signed a two-year deal at Ibrox, he’s unlikely to be a long-term issue in Glasgow.
Equally too, it’s easy to forget, amid the pace of change at Ibrox, that Devlin has only been on board for a matter of months, with time still on his side to turn things around after a sticky start to life at the club.
There’s perhaps more concern over those who have been with the Light Blues for a little while longer, with part of the reason behind this summer’s vast recruitment drive having been due to the woes of last year.
|
Rangers Summer Transfers – 25/26* |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Where Are They Now |
|
Chermiti |
Rangers (injured) |
|
Antman |
Anderlecht |
|
Cortes |
Huracan (loan) |
|
Aasgaard |
Anderlecht (loan) |
|
Miovski |
Rangers |
|
Fernandez |
Rangers |
|
Gassama |
Rangers |
|
Rothwell |
Sheffield United |
|
Cameron |
Dundee United (loan) |
|
*permanent signings only |
|
Bojan Miovski is among the 2025 arrivals who have failed to really deliver as expected in a Rangers shirt, the Macedonian having been snapped up from Girona for a fee of around £2.6m, rising to £4.2m in add-ons.
The experienced striker had failed to really make his mark in Spanish football, yet like Devlin and co, the Gers were banking on what he’d produced previously in the Premiership at Aberdeen.
There was a time when Miovski was even rivalling Shankland for the tag of the Premiership’s best striker, having netted 44 goals in 98 games for the Dons in all competitions.
Returning to Scottish football hasn’t quite gone as planned for 27-year-old, however, and while he did end 2025/26 with 13 goals to his name, just seven of those came in the top flight.
For a man who hit 16 league goals in each of his two seasons at Pittodrie, last year’s record was a real disappointment, it must be said, with there some surprise that he’s stayed on for another year under the new McInnes regime.
The injury blow to Shankland may well have been a factor there, with the Gers having already seen Youssef Chermiti sidelined, yet perhaps the club would have been better served cutting their losses on Miovski regardless.
His crucial late winner against St Mirren aside, the left-footer is yet to score in five outings in all competitions in 2026/27, having failed to start a single game thus far.
Considering he reportedly earns around £26k-per-week, or £1.3m per year, that is almost £4m Rangers have spent so far on Miovski, when factoring in his initial price tag, the club yet to really see a return on their investment.
14 goals in 47 games in total isn’t disastrous, but it’s well below what the striker delivered in an Aberdeen shirt. Can he ever find his groove again in Glasgow?
